This invention is directed to a fire fighting foam system, particularly a foam system incorporated in a vest worn by fire fighter for selective connection to a water hose for spraying foam on a fire.
Fire fighting is a hazardous occupation. Typically, the fire is put out by dousing it with large volumes of water. Water is delivered to the fire through a water hose which is connected to a fire truck or other water source. In the event of a burning liquid or other times when foam is required it is produced by a foam truck, fixed system, in-line eductor or other foam making methods or systems.
While these prior art methods of making and delivering foam to the fire have met with some degree of success, a number of disadvantages exist which are overcome by the present invention. An obvious disadvantage of using a foam truck or other existing methods is that they are not easily positioned close to the fire and rely on people other than the fire fighter to determine when and how much foam solution the fire fighter may receive. These methods require more than one person, in most cases, to perform the foam making procedure. In some instances when the foam concentrate runs out, the fire fighter, who may be several hundred feet away, will not know that the foam concentrate is depleted until it is too late and thus endangers his life and others with him. In the event that a foam concentrate container runs out and the fire fighter is alone, he must turn the water off and go back to the foam making device and restock the concentrate supply, then return to the fire scene and resume fire fighting.
It is an object of the present invention to equip the fire fighter with a foam delivery system which may be selectively actuated to selectively spray foam on a fire as determined by a fire fighter on the scene. This also ensures that the fire fighter is in control of the foam supply. Thus, the fire fighter has the safety factor of knowing how much foam he has left and allows him to develop the strategy in his attack of the fire with minimum risk to life and property.
It is another object of the invention to provide a foam delivery system which may be worn by a fire fighter so that his hands are free to operate and direct a water hose.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a foam delivery system incorporated in a vest which may be worn by a fire fighter. The vest includes two separate components filled with foam concentrate in fluid communication with each other and the water hose nozzle.